Book Review
Sep. 5th, 2024 08:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariHeart of Iron
by Bec McMaster
This is the second of the London Steampunk romances, set in a dark Victorian London where vampirism and lycanthropy are both caused by incurable viruses, and the vampires are the ruling class while werewolves are outlawed. In this book, the werewolf Will and socialite Lena are deeply attracted to each other but unable to fully admit it or act on it. When Lena gets involved in the clandestine activities of a humanist rights group, things get very dangerous for everyone she loves. She and Will end up working together to foil a violent plot, which causes their relationship to catch fire.
Unfortunately, I found Heart of Iron very unsatisfying. Will did not appeal to me at all as a romance hero. He was too much of the alpha archetype, way too inclined to punch first and ask questions later, a rather tightly wound. He did have a very caring and protective side, but I didn't get enough of it. Lena is strong-willed and brave, but a could be kind of high-handed and a little pushy when it came to getting what she wanted. I never quite warmed up to her, either. The book also needed a lot tighter plotting. The romance and the intrigue storylines did not hang together well, and lots of smaller plot elements were kind of all over the place. I did like how the book brings in some more world-building, though.
by Bec McMaster
This is the second of the London Steampunk romances, set in a dark Victorian London where vampirism and lycanthropy are both caused by incurable viruses, and the vampires are the ruling class while werewolves are outlawed. In this book, the werewolf Will and socialite Lena are deeply attracted to each other but unable to fully admit it or act on it. When Lena gets involved in the clandestine activities of a humanist rights group, things get very dangerous for everyone she loves. She and Will end up working together to foil a violent plot, which causes their relationship to catch fire.
Unfortunately, I found Heart of Iron very unsatisfying. Will did not appeal to me at all as a romance hero. He was too much of the alpha archetype, way too inclined to punch first and ask questions later, a rather tightly wound. He did have a very caring and protective side, but I didn't get enough of it. Lena is strong-willed and brave, but a could be kind of high-handed and a little pushy when it came to getting what she wanted. I never quite warmed up to her, either. The book also needed a lot tighter plotting. The romance and the intrigue storylines did not hang together well, and lots of smaller plot elements were kind of all over the place. I did like how the book brings in some more world-building, though.
